Apparatus for trimming hair



' April 6, 1-954 7 F. E. DOERR APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING HAIR Filed Feb. 12, 1953 Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING HAIR Frank E. Doerr, Lynn, Mass., assignor of one-half to. Joseph E. Town, Lynn, Mass.

Application. February 12, 1953, Serial, No. 336,538

intended for self use so that a person-can trim.

his own hair, and it is equally applicable for use by an independent operator and is primarily for the purpose of home use.

Heretofore it has been customary in various types of self-trimming hair devices to employ special forms anddesigns of shear-dike cutting elements wherein a pivoted shearing cutter is employed. Such prior devices, however, have been unsatisfactory in many ways particularly with the difficulty of making an even succession of hair-cutting actionsespecially when employed in self-use.

Such prior devices have also been complex and expensive and involved great care and skill in operation.

By my present invention I have eliminated all such prior ditficulties and have developed an apparatus which can be successfully employed in a series of eflicient hair-trimming actions at any point on the head as well as at the back or neck and simulates to a considerable degree the pro fessional hair trimming operations of an experienced barber.

An important object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novel and efiicient self-trimming hair apparatus, which apparatus can be advantageously employed both for self-use and by unskilled attendants, particularly for home use.

My novel device comprises a combined comb and cutting element held in spaced relation and alignment, each element being secured under spring or yielding tensionso that the comb may be slid up under a section of hair .to be trimmed; the cutting element thereupon yieldingly forced to hold or bite the hair between the comb and the cutter; and thereupon a positive downward movement of the entire comb and cutter as thus positioned with the hair in engagement will result in the cutting action. Thus the cutting or trimming is effected by the hand of the operator and independently of any scissor-like action.

Successive actuations along the same or different lines are readily repeated, and release of the downward pressure permits the cutting knife and comb to be automatically spaced and resume its normally spaced or open position out of contact with each other and ready for the successive action.

Further and important features of my present invention are to utilize removable cutters,

such for example as the usual type of so-called Gillettev blade which can be readily fitted into position on one part of the device and preferably held under yielding tension so that the blade will be curved, similar to the standard use of such type of blades-in shaving instruments.

The comb element is preferably also removable and is fitted in combination with a rubber or plastic strip or bed upon which the cutting edge of the blade willimpinge with a mass of hair to be cut therebetween.

In one type of my improved apparatus, the device when employed for self use can be held in the right hand for trimming the right side of the head, the back; and the neck and top, and thereupon shifted to theleft hand for the trimming operations onthe oppositeside of the head.

In a modified form I have developed a construction wherein either hand can be utilized in all positions, as will be explained.

Referring to the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments for carrying out my-novel invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a suitable form'of my novel apparatus for carrying out the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2+2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the apparatus of Figs. "1 and 2 in preliminary position with the comb engaging a mass of hair to be trimmed;

Fig. 4 illustrates the downward pulled position of the apparatus to effect the cutting action after the blade and comb have been moved into juxtaposition toengage the strands of hair to-- be trimmed; I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified formwherein a plurality of Y cutting blades are arranged so' thatthe-devicecan be used on all-portions of the hair of the head without shifting from one hand to the other; and

Fig. 6 is a front end view of the same looking from the right of Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I provide a U-shaped spring element l comprising an elongated area or backing with an extended curved top portion 2, and bottom part 9 directed toward each other, leaving a space or gap between the same. In the top portion 2 I provide a ridge 3 at one point and an inturned flange 4 at the other to hold therebetween under curved tension a blade 5. This blade can be slid in from either side and caught between the ridge 3 and flanges 4, as clearly shown.

Preferably these flanges 4 are at either end and a series of saw-teeth 6 are arranged in the lower face of the part 2 thru which the cutting edge of the blade 5 will be exposed to cooperate in holding the strands of hair to be cut, as will be explained. I may and preferably do form the blade-holding portion 2 as a separate strip, welding it to the back I so that it will be integral and expand the upward or outward portion into a curved finger-holding part 8. Thus the portion 2 and back I are substantially integral, and this construction automatically forms the bladeretaining ridge 3 as will be appreciated.

The lower forward extension 9 carries the comb l and this may be attached in any suitable way. Preferably I form a bracket i2 secured to the inner side of the lower forward extension 8 by welding the foot 13 thereto, or in any other suitable manner, forming the same as a clip to encircle the adjacent bottom portion of the back I. Said bracket carries the base of the assembled comb l0 and a yielding rubber or plastic abutment I5.

As herein shown, I assemble the comb H and the yielding abutment in a U-shaped holder having back, sides, and bottom which can be slid in between the bracket 12 and portion 9 and held under the spring tension of same, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the use of the cutting or trimming device with the blade 5 and comb l0 spaced apart substantially as indicated at 2|, Fig. 2, the comb I0 is first positioned along the side of that portion of the head to be trimmed, indicated diagrammatically at 24, sliding the comb under a series or set of strands of hair, for example 25, and thereupon the top portion with the blade 5 is pressed downwardly, the operator holding the device between the top finger-hold 8 and the bottom clip 13 and applying a slight squeezing pressure. The cutting edge of the knife 5 thereupon engages the strands of hair, pressing and holding them against the yielding abutment 15 as the blade slides inside the comb, the comb thus protecting the head from the blade. Thereupon with the hair thus engaged, the operator moves the entire apparatus bodily downwardly, thereby effecting the trimming operation.

This action is thereupon completed by lifting the trimmer longitudinally or vertically, enabling the user-whether a self-user or an attendant-to effect the hair trimming in a series of spaced cutting actions, simulating the professional barbers operations, as above noted. On release of the pressure, the cut hair will drop off and the spring tension of the back i will open the cutter from the comb, spacing the same and automatically preparing the cutter for the next operation.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, I have illustrated a double cutting construction wherein a pair of spring-like backs or members 30 and 3] are united by a spring 33 and held in substantially parallel position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the spring being welded or otherwise secured to the rearwardly extending members 30 and 3!. In this form I can utilize two cutting blades 35 and 36, positioning the same between a central clip 31 and end flanges 38 and 39, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Also a pair of combs 40 and ll assembled with the rubber or yielding cooperating abutments 42 and 43 are provided. These latter are held in assembled relation in a U-shaped frame 44 united to the spring member 3| by a clip 45.

The operation of this double hair trimmer is similar to that as already described with the added facility of utilizing one hand to cut oppo site sides, and the cutters are interchangeable as the holder is reversible.

I have thus provided a novel hair-trimming device of simple and efficient construction but always ready for instant use and capable of quickly replacing the cutting blades as well as the combs, if desired, and each carries out a method of first engaging the strands of hair desired to be trimmed by a preliminary squeezing or collapsing action on the trimmer and, thereupon, effecting the trimming or cutting by positively moving the entire apparatus while held in the hand of the user.

I claim:

A hair trimmer of the kind described suitable for use as a self-trimmer or by an attendant, which consists in a yielding U-shaped holder, mean removably holding a cutting blade in one arm of the holder, and means removably holding a comb in the opposite arm of the holder, at yielding abutment adjacent the comb in posi tion to be engaged by the cutting edge of said blade, said blade and comb being substantially in alignment, constructed and arranged so that upon compression of the yielding holder the blade will slide inside the holder against said .-;.abutment to engage strands of hair to be cut,

and thereupon effecting the cutting action by positive movement of the entire device downwardly while the hair is so held.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,393,053 Tillman Oct. 11, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 158,594 Great Britain Feb. 17, 192i 

